# Language Barrier in Music



## Dewgong (Mar 4, 2009)

Ha, I probably don't know what I'm talking about, but doesn't it bother you when people disregard music as total crap because it's not in their language? I've had people at my school tell me that my music is not real music, because it wasn't in English. In fact, I've had people at my school tell me that it wasn't music at all. 

It bothers me. Stupid language barrier.


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## Zeph (Mar 4, 2009)

Eh, I actually tend to prefer music that isn't English. I'm really not sure why...


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## Dannichu (Mar 4, 2009)

I don't mind at all; it doesn't make it any less pretty, and if you're bothered you don't know what you're singing along to, you can look up the lyrics. 

Plus, lots of translated songs are really awkward, unless their meaning gets changed almost completely, so there's no other way to listen to them.

Plus, looking up a Disney song you like on youtube in every concievable langauage is far, far too much fun X3


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## goldenquagsire (Mar 4, 2009)

> Ha, I probably don't know what I'm talking about, but doesn't it bother you when people disregard music as total crap because it's not in their language? I've had people at my school tell me that my music is not real music, because it wasn't in English. In fact, I've had people at my school tell me that it wasn't music at all.
> 
> It bothers me. Stupid language barrier.


what

I have never met anyone that stupid. You must be *really* unlucky.

On the whole, I prefer the sound of a song to its lyrics; thus, it doesn't really matter if it's in English, Japanese or Old Norse. As long as it SOUNDS good. :D


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## opaltiger (Mar 4, 2009)

Dewgong said:


> Ha, I probably don't know what I'm talking about, but doesn't it bother you when people disregard music as total crap because it's not in their language? I've had people at my school tell me that my music is not real music, because it wasn't in English. In fact, I've had people at my school tell me that it wasn't music at all.
> 
> It bothers me. Stupid language barrier.


ok Dewgong go find a new school please


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## Minish (Mar 4, 2009)

Heh, people at my school are like that as well. I'm gradually going into other languages as well, but I happened to pick up Japanese music and there are some really great Japanese musicians out there that I just wouldn't have found were I to follow the attitude of 'stick to your own country/language'. That goes for any language. Who's to say you wouldn't enjoy another language's music better?

Plus there's the whole culture aspect, I find listening to tons and tons of say, Britpop, really really boring, whereas Japanese pop has a completely different effect. And I know this would be the same whatever language you look into.

Besides, it's all music. That's like saying you're only allowed to listen to the genres your country has formed/made the most popular or something. >_> Listen to what you like, damnit.


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## Teh Ebil Snorlax (Mar 4, 2009)

I love Japanese pop, Austrian pop, German pop and industrial metal, Eastern European folk, Scandinavian black metal, Indian traditional and Irish traditional.


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## Dewgong (Mar 5, 2009)

opaltiger said:
			
		

> ok Dewgong go find a new school please


I wish. I know, my school has serious problems.



Cirrus said:


> there are some really great Japanese musicians out there that I just wouldn't have found were I to follow the attitude of 'stick to your own country/language'.


Same. I like plenty of Japanese music, not because it's in Japanese though. There is a different thing from American bands and blah... Morning Musume is not one of them btw


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## Vladimir Putin's LJ (Mar 5, 2009)

I don't get the hype of Japanese pop music and personally find all of what I've heard pretty shitty but yeah that attitude is fucking terrible and intolerant.


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## Tarvos (Mar 5, 2009)

what about music in old norse about pagan mythologies


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## Vyraura (Mar 5, 2009)

its amazing


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## Storm Earth and Fire (Mar 5, 2009)

goldenquagsire said:


> what
> 
> I have never met anyone that stupid. You must be *really* unlucky.


This. It might be because there's a more diverse population where I live than where you live, but honestly, I've never met a soul with such a close-minded attitude. Even if I did, I certainly won't talk with them again, as most of the music I listen to is not in English.


Vladimir Putin's LJ said:


> I don't get the hype of Japanese pop music and personally find all of what I've heard pretty shitty


Try Korean pop, although it tends to be more in-between the styles of J-pop and American pop, so you might not find it any better.

But since the Japanese pop fans are already here, I'll just say this, Korean pop rules!


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## Minish (Mar 5, 2009)

Dewgong said:


> Same. I like plenty of Japanese music, not because it's in Japanese though. There is a different thing from American bands and blah... Morning Musume is not one of them btw


Are you saying Morning Musume _isn't_ different fom American bands? o.o Because that's the strangest thing I've ever heard.

Korean pop... I haven't heard most of it, and the little I've heard consisted mostly absolutely terrible boy bands. XDD I'm sure it isn't all like that though.



Vladimir Putin's LJ said:


> I don't get the hype of Japanese pop music and personally find all of what I've heard pretty shitty but yeah that attitude is fucking terrible and intolerant.


I don't like most of the mainstream stuff at all, but there's a lot of good J-pop to be found that aren't as popular in Japan.


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## Retsu (Mar 5, 2009)

I listen to lots of foreign music; mostly German (because I have this huge fetish with anything everything German), but off the top of my head, I can name a few bands that sing in Norwegian, French, Spanish, Danish, Cornish (and other Celtic languages), and Latin.


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## Vladimir Putin's LJ (Mar 5, 2009)

Yeah, when I went to Korea I used to pump up the radio and there were these absolutely awesome and often hilarious songs, it was pretty sweet.

Oh and I need to get in on this German music thing, it's a great language. I'd also like to find some good Russian music since I have a massive hardon for it too. I've only found the anthem, some techno and a pop music video about Putin so-far.


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## Retsu (Mar 5, 2009)

Vladimir Putin's LJ said:


> Yeah, when I went to Korea I used to pump up the radio and there were these absolutely awesome and often hilarious songs, it was pretty sweet.
> 
> Oh and I need to get in on this German music thing, it's a great language. I'd also like to find some good Russian music since I have a massive hardon for it too. I've only found the anthem, some techno and a pop music video about Putin so-far.


t.A.T.u.?


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## Vladimir Putin's LJ (Mar 5, 2009)

"This video is not available in your country."
Curses!

Yeah I have one of their songs (the all-popular They're Not Gonna Get Us) but I didn't know they sang in Russian/ had forgotten they were forgotten they're Russian, hurf. I'll look into them


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## #1 bro (Mar 5, 2009)

For some reason I'm really reluctant to listen to any music not in English, but on the other hand, I love Sigur Rós. So... I dunno.


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## foreign contaminant (Mar 5, 2009)

i have no qualms listening to music in other languages. i don't really - the only music i have not in english is one eri nobuchika album, which is in japanese - but i don't think i wouldn't enjoy it if i did.


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## Mirry (Mar 5, 2009)

There is plenty of good music that isn't in English... I've never heard anybody say that only English music is good myself.

My dad, however, refuses to watch some foreign films because he doesn't want to have to read subtitles. I think that's pretty dumb personally because some films that aren't in English happen to be really good. :3


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## Storm Earth and Fire (Mar 6, 2009)

Vladimir Putin's LJ said:


> Oh and I need to get in on this German music thing, it's a great language. I'd also like to find some good Russian music since I have a massive hardon for it too. I've only found the anthem, some techno and a pop music video about Putin so-far.


Hmmm German music I listen to. Rammstein mainly, with a tiny bit of Dschinghis Khan and Oomph!.

Russian music... I listen to the Red Army Choir. =D


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## Dewgong (Mar 6, 2009)

Vladimir Putin's LJ said:
			
		

> I don't get the hype of Japanese pop music and personally find all of what I've heard pretty shitty


Me too. I'm not really into jpop. Or kpop. Kpop is worse.


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## Storm Earth and Fire (Mar 6, 2009)

Well, don't call me out on it, but I think Asian music rules. I suspect my opinion is biased because I'm Chinese, though. ^_^ There's always terrible stuff, but I rather enjoy it in general. Certainly could think of a lot more Asian artists I like than other continents. =P

I used to really hate modern Chinese music, but now I think it's alright.

There's one singer I like from Thailand that I have a feeling all of you would hate. >.>

Hmm... I've listened to more than enough Vietnamese pop in my time, that'll drive people crazy.

I have also listened to Cambodian music, but not enough to form a good opinion.


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## Dewgong (Mar 6, 2009)

Well so I. (I guess I wouldn't say it totally rules, but I do like it). I wouldn't call you out for that.


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## goldenquagsire (Mar 6, 2009)

> Russian music... I listen to the Red Army Choir. =D


Good taste, Comrade.



> My dad, however, refuses to watch some foreign films because he doesn't want to have to read subtitles. I think that's pretty dumb personally because some films that aren't in English happen to be really good. :3


My dad refuses to watch any film without subtitles, although that's mainly because English is a second language for him.


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## Dannichu (Mar 6, 2009)

Vladimir Putin's LJ said:


> I'd also like to find some good Russian music since I have a massive hardon for it too. I've only found the anthem, some techno and a pop music video about Putin so-far.


My best friend has a real obsession with Vitas, a Russian opera singer who's very good, but not my kind of thing. He can hit _freakishly _high notes and makes very peculiar noises. But, uh, I thought I'd suggest him.


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## Lady Grimdour (Mar 8, 2009)

German/Swedish music is good.

I sometimes prefer the non-english stuff, especially Rammstein.


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## Celestial Blade (Mar 8, 2009)

Racist bastards being total idiots and prejudicing music should just shut the fuck up!


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## Vladimir Putin's LJ (Mar 9, 2009)

Dannichu said:


> My best friend has a real obsession with Vitas, a Russian opera singer who's very good, but not my kind of thing. He can hit _freakishly _high notes and makes very peculiar noises. But, uh, I thought I'd suggest him.


Holy hell.
He _is_ pretty damn rad, thank you!


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## Dannichu (Mar 9, 2009)

You're very welcome :)


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## Alexi (Mar 9, 2009)

Heyyy, Vitas is awesome.

I love Gackt and Miyavi. Jpop makes me smile. :) I also love foreign translations of English songs, like the Beatles' "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You" in German and the Phantom of the Opera in Chinese and French are all awesome as fuck. :D

And who can forget the numa numa song? :3 

Music in other languages is as awesome as English~


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## Dewgong (Mar 9, 2009)

GAAAAAAACKT

MIYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVI

I LOVE MIYAVI

Miyavi Miyavi Miiiiyavi-sama... I have Miyavi lyrics in my sig D:

*w*


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## Tarvos (Mar 9, 2009)

Celestial Blade said:


> Racist bastards being total idiots and prejudicing music should just shut the fuck up!


Just like you!

I dunno if it suits the song i will listen to music in any language


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## Shiny Grimer (Mar 16, 2009)

> I'd also like to find some good Russian music since I have a massive hardon for it too. I've only found the anthem, some techno and a pop music video about Putin so-far.


Are you interested in folk music? I've found a group called "Misha and Natasha from Russia" that do great versions of Russian folk songs.

This page also has a nice collection of Russian songs. If you're interested in unusual songs, there are two other groups I could reccomend. 

As Dannichu said, looking for Disney songs in other languages is absolutely addicting (I have a playlist of "I won't say I'm in love" in 30 languages :P). It's lots of fun to see how the lyrics change and stuff.


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## Anche (Mar 19, 2009)

I absolutely can't listen to anything I don't understand the words to. Coincidentally, my favorite band has semi-good diction (this is like the best you can get with rock.) Also don't care much for instrumental-only stuff. 

However, if it's hilarious, I can dig it. Like a capella covers of "Hit Me Baby One More Time" in German. (Wiseguys.)


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## Dewgong (Mar 20, 2009)

If you can't understand the words, look up lyrics.


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## Anche (Mar 20, 2009)

Additionally, when I know the lyrics to a song I liked before and don't like them, I slowly stop listening to the song.


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## Dewgong (Mar 20, 2009)

^ I'm the same way sometimes.


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## Dannichu (Mar 20, 2009)

Hehe, reminds me of that verse from BNL's Testing, 1, 2, 3;

_She got a new apartment
It's out on the escarpment
And in her glove compartment
Are my songs
She hasn't even heard them
Since she found out what the words meant
She decided she preferred them
All wrong_

It's happened to me more times than I can count. I used to like I Need a Hero (dunno if that's the actual title, but yeah), especially the Shrek 2 version, but when I actually listened to the lyrics (instead of privately raving to how bouncy it was), it's actually the most female-disempowering song _ever._


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## Departure Song (Mar 20, 2009)

Anche said:


> I absolutely can't listen to anything I don't understand the words to. Coincidentally, my favorite band has semi-good diction (this is like the best you can get with rock.) Also don't care much for instrumental-only stuff.


So you only care about music for the lyrics? That is very unfortunate.


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## Dewgong (Mar 20, 2009)

Dannichu said:


> it's actually the most female-disempowering song _ever._


Oh god not this

What were the lyrics


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## Departure Song (Mar 20, 2009)

She's referring to "Holding Out for a Hero" by Frou Frou.


> Where have all the good men gone
> And where are all the gods?
> Where's the street-wise Hercules
> To fight the rising odds?
> ...


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## Dewgong (Mar 20, 2009)

^ Oh wow Dani I kind of agree with you for once after reading that.

(Thank you, Departure Song, btw.)


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## Darksong (Mar 20, 2009)

Dewgong said:


> Ha, I probably don't know what I'm talking about, but doesn't it bother you when people disregard music as total crap because it's not in their language? I've had people at my school tell me that my music is not real music, because it wasn't in English. In fact, I've had people at my school tell me that it wasn't music at all.



It's the exact opposite for me. It's hard for me to sing anything but Japanese, since I haven't done anything else before. I still _enjoy_ the non-Japanese music, I just can't sing it.

:3 But that's pretty much all I have to say.


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## Frozen Weta (Mar 20, 2009)

Anche said:


> Coincidentally, my favorite band has semi-good diction (this is like the best you can get with rock.)


Then you haven't heard a lot of rock bands.

In the topic of language barrier, it really ticks me off when people ignore or hate music with lyrics in Spanish.  A lot of people still think every song ever in my mother tongue is shitty reggaeton or obnoxious rancheras.

I really don't mind listening to music with lyrics I don't understand.  I just appreciate it for what it is, and maybe look up a translation (though the original, true meaning will often be lost.)


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## Storm Earth and Fire (Mar 20, 2009)

Frozen Weta said:


> In the topic of language barrier, it really ticks me off when people ignore or hate music with lyrics in Spanish.  A lot of people still think every song ever in my mother tongue is shitty reggaeton or obnoxious rancheras.


Awww Spanish language music rules.

Besides rock in Spanish, I also enjoy norteño and tejano music from time to time.


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## Dewgong (Mar 27, 2009)

There's this one French-Canadian band and I keep forgetting the name but I kinda of liked them... :(



Darksong said:


> It's the exact opposite for me. It's hard for me to sing anything but Japanese, since I haven't done anything else before. I still _enjoy_ the non-Japanese music, I just can't sing it.
> 
> :3 But that's pretty much all I have to say.


I don't know why, but Japanese is a much more easy language for me, (when it comes to singing), when it comes to singing as well. Not so much just because it's Japanese, but because it works better with my tongue. Hard to explain. It's almost easier for me to speak (just not completely proficient, of course). It's sort of choppy when I try to sing in Japanese, I like it.


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## Shiny Grimer (Mar 28, 2009)

Dewgong said:


> It's almost easier for me to speak (just not completely proficient, of course). It's sort of choppy when I try to sing in Japanese, I like it.


I feel this, too. I think it's because Japanese has a small amount of phonemes. Most of the sounds are in English, and the ones that aren't in English are in the Romance languages (except French D<). 

I've found that I quite like listening to songs in Russian and Hindi. This is of course, in addition to languages I know and kind of know.
There's something awesome about the foreign-ness of it all. :x


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## Storm Earth and Fire (Mar 28, 2009)

Dewgong said:


> I don't know why, but Japanese is a much more easy language for me, (when it comes to singing), when it comes to singing as well. Not so much just because it's Japanese, but because it works better with my tongue. Hard to explain. It's almost easier for me to speak (just not completely proficient, of course). It's sort of choppy when I try to sing in Japanese, I like it.


I seem to sing languages I listen equally well. Mind you, I don't think my musical language selection is that wide, and I grew up speaking Mandarin, so I can pronounce all sorts of funny sounds that English-speakers don't get. =P



			
				... said:
			
		

> I feel this, too. I think it's because Japanese has a small amount of phonemes. Most of the sounds are in English, and the ones that aren't in English are in the Romance languages (except French D<).


That's it, if anything. The sounds are closer to English than Mandarin Chinese or Korean. Also, unlike, say, Chinese and Vietnamese, it's not tonal, which can trip up people trying to pronounce it.


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## foreign contaminant (Mar 28, 2009)

well, now that i think about it, i listen to a lot of european music and am interested in more; most of it is french or german. but it doesn't really apply.. while m83 and kraftwerk are french and german, respectively, their music is anglophone, if that makes sense. (but i know kraftwerk releases music simultaneously in english and german. the english versions are more readily available, and i've yet to hear a german version of trans-europe express..)


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## Vladimir Putin's LJ (Mar 28, 2009)

I definitely think Kraftwerk's music is nicer in German, but it's true that it might be a little harder to find than the English versions. It's a pity really.


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## Tailsy (Mar 28, 2009)

Italodance is clearly the best genre ever.


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## Vespiform (Mar 28, 2009)

German metal rock is amazing. I don't really have any opinion on Japanese pop-music.


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## Dewgong (Mar 28, 2009)

Hmm I was kind of thinking about the phenoms in Japanese... there's a lot less anyways.

Jpop isn't really my cup of tea (I know I've said that before).


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## Alexi (Apr 1, 2009)

New Flash: Gaelic music is amazing.


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## surskitty (Apr 3, 2009)

I prefer music in languages I don't understand, unless the lyrics are horrendous and _funny_.


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